Sequel to the 78% tariff hike which was proposed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and it’s suspension due to consultation, Otunba Sunday Oduntan, executive director of research and advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors and spokesman for DisCos, has said that Nigerians should stop calling DisCos NEPA.
According to Oduntan who spoke at an interview with TVC, the reason Nigerians still call discos NEPA is simply because they are oblivious of the change that has occured in the Country.
The National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) was in charge of electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Nigeria, but later changed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
“I understand how Nigerians feel when it comes to paying more for anything. But we also want Nigerians to understand the following. Number one, stop calling us NEPA,” Oduntan said.
“The more you call us NEPA, the more it shows that you don’t know that anything has changed in this country. It means that you don’t want any change. It means that you don’t even want electricity. That is the way I look at it.
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“We are DisCos, but we are not dancing DisCos. We are distribution companies. PHCN is dead, NEPA is dead.”
Speaking on the proposed tariff increment by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Oduntan said some factors contributed to the adjustment.
“More than 95% of what we use in the power sector are imported,” he said.
“Now, they have to look at foreign exchange, the rate of inflation. They have to look at the cost of generation, including the cost of gas. If all those things go down, tariff has to come down.”